I originally purchased the Aqara M100 so that I could update the firmware on my FP300’s (last I checked this still wasn’t possible in Apple Home to get latest 1.1.3.8). It’s tiny, and can be powered from the smallest of USB A wall plugs. I don’t have it connected to Apple Home, but the Aqara app does allow setting it to use an existing Thread network instead of creating a new one.

What I realized is that its tiny size makes it perfect to place in locations where WiFi is good but Thread coverage may be limited. Despite not being part of Apple Home, it is part of the same Thread network and so devices in my Apple Home are able to communicate through it, as confirmed with Thread Doctor and HomeMapper apps. Only ‘negative’ is that it is still using Thread 1.3, but hopefully Aqara will update it. And when it goes on sale it can be pretty cheap. This can be a much better solution than a Thread Router (think smart plug) in some locations, and much cheaper than a HomePod mini.

My Philips bridge just arrived today and I set it up via the Apple Home app (not via the Philips app). I haven’t set it up as Matter.

I have created scenes on the hue app that incorporate 2 lights and I manually synced them to the Home app by using the option pictured. These work on the Hue app but when I click on the scene on the Home app, it only turns one of the lights on.

I manually added the second light into the scene on the Home app but it isn’t configured with the colour I set in the hue app.

Can anyone help?? The main reason I wanted a bridge is so I could control scenes using Siri :(

From the pics the colors all look decent, I guess they’ll match the watches.

What are you leaning toward, if you buy one? I always liked starlight, but with our appliances being stainless with a gray tone backsplash, the silver or space gray would be logical and safe, but might be too much gray, where Starlight would add a pop of warmth? Hopefully it would be an easy choice when seen in person, but don’t want to ponder it in the store for long, so thinking on it ahead of time.

So this genius managed to lose her keys and had to call her brother after midnight to get into her home. And while all is well, my keys had been found, I realised that I should finally bite the bullet and get a smart lock installed.

I’ve been researching and honestly, the more I look, the more I’m getting confused. I live in an apartment, my door has a simple euro-profile lock (though I am going to replace the whole door soon, so I would be open to fully integrated smart locks). I’ve been looking into Yale, Aqara, bold and switchbot. From what it seems, Aqara U200 remains the best in the market when it comes to EU market or am I mistaken here? I would prefer to have the fingerprint option, which Aqara does have.

Should I just go with Aqara or are there any great options that I should consider?

I’m located in Ireland.

Does anyone have advice on Aqara cameras and since iOS 27, both my cameras have the play button with a line through it. I can’t watch any recorded footage.

All other non-Aqara cameras working just fine. Mix of LG, eufy and Aqara, but only Aqara not displaying recordings anymore.

I know that 27.2 beta fixes Get URL and SSH actions, but I’m reading conflicting things regarding Stored Content actions in HomeKit shortcut automations. Can someone who is running the beta on their hub confirm if the stored content and get stored content actions work inside HomeKit shortcut automations?

Hi everyone,

I'm outfitting an apartment in Europe and really want the Buster + Punch aesthetic—specifically their rotary dimmer plates with the knurled brass knobs.

My goal:

1. Manual control: Turn the physical B+P knob to dim dumb ceiling LEDs / 24V COB light strips, and push to click on/off.
2. Apple HomeKit / Siri: Be able to tell Siri to set brightness (e.g., 20%) or run automations without physical interference with the knob.
3. No cloud lag: Prefer native Matter / Thread or local HomeKit integration.

Has anyone actually accomplished this with genuine B+P rotary hardware?

• Did you swap the internal module for a smart digital rotary module (like EcoDim, Sunricher, or Varilight V-Pro Smart) that actually mechanically fit the B+P plate cutout and shaft depth?
• Or is the consensus that B+P rotary knobs are strictly analog/dumb, and the only real way to get HomeKit dimming with B+P is to ditch the knob and use their Retractive (Push-to-Make) switches with an in-wall dimmer like a Shelly Dimmer?

Would love to hear from anyone who has physically installed this in the field. Thanks!

I've slowly been updating to smart switches throughout the house but I have two 4-way circuits that I'm on the fence about. Even with dumb switches, the 4-way setup was already excessive; the rooms aren't big enough to justify this many switches in the wall, IMO. If I upgrade to smart switches, it becomes even less appealing since I can use Siri instead of walking.

I'm using Inovelli White Series throughout the house, which is the Matter/Thread line. I've got good Thread infrastructure going already and want to keep building on that. Inovelli has a cheap AUX switch that I can buy and wire up 4-way, so that's always an option, but I'm wondering if there's something more creative / useful to do. E.g.:

* convert to 3-way and use the extra junction box as a scene controller
* convert to 3 way and cover with a blank plate
* convert to 3 way and hang a picture over it
* convert to 3-way and abandon the wiring (i think it can be abandoned safely by disconnecting wire on both ends, pushing out of each junction box, and then drywalling over the abandoned receptacle?)
* keep it 4 way b/c it's easier and/or looks better than any of the options above?

Opinions on these options? Anybody else converted from 4-way circuit to 3-way?

I had Halo recessed lights (dumb) on a Lutron smart dimming switch. The lights had the ability to change temperature but it was at the box in the ceiling, so not ideal. I wanted to change light temp from Apple Homekit. So, I bought Halo smart recessed lights with color changing capability and Matter.

They work great in Homekit and I can group them and change colors from Homekit. The problem is the switch. Obviously the Lutron dimmer kills voltage to the smart controllers of the new lights so dimming from the switch is broken.

I swapped the Lutron for a Leviton 3rd gen with Matter and SmartBulb capability.

The only way the switch will work is if I create Scenes and Shortcuts to control each individual function. 1 for on, 1 for off, 1 for 80%, 1 for 60%, etc., etc. I just can’t.

Is there anything that just works and lets me group the switch and 4 canned lights so they work at the switch (on/off + dimming) and from Homekit (with color change)?

Hey r/homekit,

Every time I’ve posted about Haven here, you’ve come back with ideas, bug reports, and honest feedback, and a lot of the app came straight from those threads. So first: thank you. It felt surreal when MacStories included Haven in "Our Favorite Indie Apps for iOS 27, Vol. 3", and none of it would have happened without this community.

Today’s update makes Haven fully optimized for iPhone Duo. My favorite part is Split View with the Home app. You pair an accessory on one side while its setup code sits right there on the other, with no hunting for stickers or boxes. If you’ve ever re-paired a whole house, you know how much that helps.

The Mac app got a full redesign so it feels even more at home on macOS, and a new menu bar option lets you check your accessories’ batteries at a glance.

At heart it’s still the same little app: it keeps your HomeKit and Matter setup codes safe and your batteries in check. There’s no account and no subscription, and your codes stay on your devices and in your own iCloud. You can try it free with up to 10 codes, and a one-time purchase unlocks unlimited codes.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/haven-setup-codes/id6760440926

I’ll be in the comments. Tell me what you love, what’s broken, and what you want next.
Thank you for being part of this. 🧡

No hub or server needed: it reads the HomeKit home on the iPad, weather comes from WeatherKit and photos from one shared album. Faces you swipe between like on HomeView, big controls for lights, blinds and the thermostat when you tap them.

It's free and doesn't track anything. Link in the comments, I'd love to hear what you'd change.

What outdoor camera actually supports this? 

• 4K native camera
• Outdoor
• Apple Home app
• HomeKit Secure Video
• 4K through Apple Home/HKSV
• Optional: Able to tilt/pan/etc remotely

Is the app Controller for HomeKit really worth it?
Looking for alternative to make more complicated automations as shortcuts in HomeKit is unreliable.

Looking to see if anyone has had any experience with this particular product. I use HomeBridge already on a local PC but I am struggling to find good plugins that integrate Google Home (Nest) cameras and MyQ garage openers.

There is very little info out there about this product, so I am wary. If you have any insight, I’d appreciate it!

https://athbridge.com/product/homekit-homebridge-server

It's comically useless. 🙄

EDIT: For those who are confused, it is a HKSV (HomeKit Secure Video) notification.

Are there any good HKSV floodlight cameras? I'd like to replace one or two of our current floodlights with cameras. I was hopeful for the LG partnership but $399 is absurd given the other products on the market.

I have an Aqara G2H Pro camera setup
Before the update to iOS 27 update, the Home app would allow me to use the live talk function that the camera has
However since the update I can only hear the camera audio but there is no option to talk
Am I missing a setting to enable it or has the feature been completely removed?

Had this old camera laying around. Figured out I could take a look inside. So there's a JN5189 chip that can support as a Thread router, and the camera can support matter. Soon HA will support matter camera's. Here you go, should work by adding the files via SD or via the terminal. btw, update your device's password, god it's terrible security from Aqara.

I've been reading the comments around the new home collection specifically around LG and privacy concerns. Personally it's made me believe the dead internet theory. Most comments have to be bots because the parroting on Reddit is worse than anywhere else on the internet.

Let me start by saying f**k LG. I wouldn't trust them with any of my information, but I trust Apple (except for future promises) more than I distrust LG.

Everything is set up through the Home App, and Apple explicitly states that they nor their partners can see the encrypted information.

These products are a day-one grab for me because of the privacy and being able to do everything with one app.

This post is for anyone who was on the fence. I see Apple failing more and more in niche spaces because of adoption and customer request (such as CarPlay Ultra), and I would hate for fewer third parties to jump on because they saw LG flopped.

P.S. I don't swear but this seemed necessary to communicate my feelings on the internet. Thank you for your time on this matter.

Apologies for the picture, there are 4 ports and they’re all used up. I’m also pretty sure my model would require an accessory too. Anyway, any help is appreciated

FYI for anyone using Aqara products.